Go Back

Creamy Chicken And Rice Soup

Creamy chicken and rice soup with velvety golden broth, tender long-grain rice, and shredded chicken. Simmered until the rice is soft, then finished with heavy cream for a rich, silky texture.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
Long grain white rice
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
Carrots
  • 4 carrots sliced
Celery
  • 4 celery sliced
Onion
  • 1 onion diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic minced
Chicken broth
  • 6 cup chicken broth
Heavy cream
  • 2 cup heavy cream
Butter
  • 4 tbsp butter
Flour
  • 3 tbsp flour
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
Nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Salt
  • 1 salt to taste
Black pepper
  • 1 black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the vegetables
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until softened. Stir occasionally so the vegetables don’t brown.
Make the roux
  1. Add the garlic and flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour smells toasted. The mixture should look slightly thicker and smooth.
Build the soup base
  1. Gradually add the chicken broth while stirring to prevent lumps. Keep the heat steady as the broth turns into a smooth base.
  2. Add the chicken, thyme, dried parsley, and nutmeg to the pot, then stir to combine. Make sure the chicken is submerged in the broth.
  3. Simmer for 15-18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, then remove it and shred. Look for no pink in the center before shredding.
Cook the rice
  1. Bring the soup back to a boil, then add the long grain white rice. You should see steady bubbling across the surface immediately after adding.
  2. Cover and simmer for 18 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring once or twice as needed. The soup should thicken as the rice releases starch.
Finish and season
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and the shredded chicken, then simmer for 5 minutes. The broth should turn velvety and lightly thickened.
  2. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust gradually until the flavors are balanced.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the chicken while it’s warm so the pieces stay tender and distribute evenly. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based soups can separate upon thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a less rich texture.